It no longer comes as a surprise that mobile gaming is becoming more and more popular. While desktop computers offer a bigger screen and possibly a more immersive experience, the ability to play games on the go, whenever and wherever, has users flocking to portable devices. With this technology already being rather advanced, what can we expect from it in the future? Keep on reading to get a glimpse into how mobile gaming can further grow and expand.
Graphics and controls will improve
As a greater number of established names starts entering the field of mobile gaming, mobile developers will take notice and put a lot of effort into further improving their devices. In order to be able to offer their users a top-notch experience, they will simply have to offer better graphics and better overall performance. What’s more, seeing as how some games will be played offline, the devices will also have to come with more storage as well as longer-lasting batteries that will allow players to play for hours on end. On the other hand, game developers will work hand-in-hand with them to see how to optimize the controls so that everything can fit onto a mobile device screen. Certain game features might be removed or combined with other ones for the controls not to obstruct the view of the game. Moreover, while there is also the option to sync up various controllers with mobile devices, some people don’t own these and don’t necessarily want to own these, which is why focusing on placing everything on the smaller screen is so important. Developers are aware of the necessity to make their games the best they can be, as the competition is fierce.
Real-time multiplayer games will be enhanced with 5G
The introduction of 5G will also help take the mobile gaming sector to the next level. With speeds that beat 4G by about ten times, 5G does not only help the speed of mobile internet but also results in less congestion. By delivering lower latency, 5G also addressed the issue of fast-draining batteries. Furthermore, the improved speed means that the downloads will be quicker and that loading a game that needs to connect to the internet won’t take ages. Cloud gaming is quickly gaining in popularity as it allows gamers to play when on the go, as long as they have a quality internet connection. What’s more, seeing as how there is a huge demand for real-time multiplayer games, such as live dealer casinos and other mobile gaming tournaments, the speed and reliability of one’s internet can make a huge difference in determining the winner.
Augmented and virtual reality will continue to wait for their big moment
While augmented and virtual reality technology seems to always be present, it has not yet reached its peak. Sure, we saw Pokémon Go take off in no time but developers are still struggling when it comes to fully implementing this tech into games. Why is that so? Well, the price of the endeavor, for one. Samsung partnered with Oculus back in 2015 to provide their users with the smartphone-powered Gear VR for only $99 and LG and Google responded by offering similar headsets. However, since then, there hasn’t been much content and development in this area. It’s an odd situation where there is no audience for AR/VR because developers aren’t working on anything new and there are no new developments. After all, there is no interested audience. As current headsets are bulky, expensive, and underpowered, it remains to be seen whether we will reach a tipping point any time soon.
Big franchises are moving to small screens
When we take into consideration the fact that mobile devices are constantly getting upgrades with better graphics and faster processing power, it’s only normal that we will soon see mobile versions of big franchises. Games that were previously only released for desktop computers or gaming consoles are going to be shrunk down to be playable on smartphones. For instance, Call of Duty: Mobile was introduced at E3 in 2019 and is available to download for free through Google Play and the App Store. While sizing down any game to a small screen can result in a cluttered interface, the game offers an experience similar to that of its desktop siblings. People familiar with mobile shooters will have no problem getting used to controls but it could take some time for newbies. The Elder Scrolls: Blades is another example of a big name deciding to release a mobile version of a popular game. With time, more and more franchises will certainly offer their games on portable devices.
When it comes to the future of mobile gaming, we can only expect increasingly better devices and better games, as technology keeps improving and providing us with unique and immersive experiences.
